AD/TB20/3 - Elevator/Elevator Tab Control Attachment Inspection and Modification

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, specifically address the safety and operational standards of aircraft in Australian airspace. Enacted by the Parliament of Australia, this regulation plays a crucial role in ensuring that civil aviation activities are conducted with the highest standards of safety. The regulation fills a critical gap by providing detailed and enforceable guidelines for the maintenance, operation, and certification of aircraft. This is particularly important in the context of the Aerospatiale (Socata) TB20 (Trinidad) Series Aeroplanes, where the risk of play in the tab rod/lever attachment has been identified. The regulation mandates specific inspections and modifications, as outlined in the AD/TB20/3 directive, to mitigate these risks and ensure the continued airworthiness of these aircraft. The policy objective is to protect the public and enhance the safety of civil aviation operations within Australia.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, addresses the safety directives for Aerospatiale (Socata) TB20 (Trinidad) Series Aeroplanes, mandating certain inspections and modifications. This regulation applies to all models TB20 with serial numbers up to and including 479. The directive requires adherence to Socata TB SB No. 24 Modification No. 48, which involves addressing the issue of potential play in the tab rod/lever attachment. Compliance must be achieved through two operations: the first being before further flight after 22 February 1985, and the second within 100 hours of time in service following the same date. This regulation has a clear geographic and jurisdictional reach within the Commonwealth of Australia, enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). There are no specific exclusions or thresholds mentioned in the text, implying that all relevant aircraft within the specified serial numbers must comply with the directive. The application of this legislation is also extendable or modifiable through subordinate instruments as deemed necessary by CASA.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, mandate specific airworthiness directives for various aircraft types. One such directive, AD/TB20/3, pertains to the Aerospatiale (Socata) TB20 (Trinidad) Series Aeroplanes (section 39-105). This directive specifically applies to all models of the TB20 with serial numbers up to and including 479. The directive requires compliance with Socata TB SB No. 24 Modification No. 48, which addresses the potential risk of play in the tab rod/lever attachment of the elevator/elevator tab control. Under this directive, operators must ensure that the required modifications are carried out in two stages. Firstly, the modifications must be completed before any further flight after 22 February 1985 (section 39-105). Secondly, the modifications must also be performed within 100 hours of time in service after the same date (section 39-105). These requirements ensure that the aircraft are safe for operation by mitigating the risk identified by Socata. Operators of the affected TB20 models are legally obligated to comply with this directive. This includes conducting the necessary inspections and making the required modifications to the elevator/elevator tab control attachment as specified. Failure to comply with this directive could result in serious safety issues, including the risk of in-flight failure of the control surfaces, which could compromise the safety of the aircraft. In terms of consequences, non-compliance with this directive may lead to enforcement actions. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to take measures against non-compliant operators, including grounding the affected aircraft until the necessary modifications are made. Additionally, failure to adhere to these safety directives can result in civil penalties, including fines. The severity of the penalty may depend on the circumstances of the non-compliance and the risk posed to aviation safety.